Communication networks enabled by technologies such as Network Function Virtualization and Software Defined Networking, may be flexibly organized so as to serve various customer demands. In building advanced networks, such as those to support future developments in wireless networks (including next generation, or so-called Fifth Generation (5G) wireless networks), network slicing provides the ability to create isolated virtual networks over which different traffic flows can travel isolated from each other. However, managing variable and competing demands on a potentially large network scale is a complex proposition requiring an effective architecture and management thereof.
Network operators serve different sets of demand for different types of UEs using different services. As the number of supported services increases, the differences in the traffic profiles associated with the different services is likely to become more stark. To support a plurality of different services each of the services associated with different types of UEs, the network will need to support the transmission and mobility profiles of all the devices. Typically this has meant that the network is designed with the assumption that each UE has to be assigned sufficient resources to accommodate the most extreme transmission and mobility profiles. As the number of devices and services increase, this may pose a large burden on the network operator and may result in heavily over-provisioned networks When a user equipment (UE) associated with an existing slice, moves to another location, there is no guarantee that the UE can attach to the existing slice in the new location. Accordingly, there is a need for a system and method that at least partially addresses one or more limitations of the prior art.
This background information is provided to reveal information believed by the applicant to be of possible relevance to the present invention. No admission is necessarily intended, nor should be construed, that any of the preceding information constitutes prior art against the present invention.